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A green method has been developed using Gilloy (Tinospora Cordifolia) shoot extract to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). A further modification of MNPs was performed using anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), to remove cationic dye methyl violet (MV) efficiently from the solution. As an adsorbent, SDS modified MNPs (SDS-MNPs) were tested for their ability to remove MV dye. Synthesized MNPs were characterized by ultra violet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In batch adsorption experiments, the effect of adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, time, and pH was evaluated. The maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent for MV dye was found to be 174.2 mg g−1. The adsorption of dye onto the adsorbent followed Langmuir's isotherm. It was shown that the adsorption kinetics of dyes obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Using thermodynamic parameters, spontaneous and exothermic adsorption was determined. As synthesized nanoparticles are magnetic in nature, regeneration and reusability of MNPs were investigated.

This study investigated the isolation and bioactivity of Actinomycetia from the soil of Northeast India, a region rich in microbial diversity. A total of 187 presumptive Actinomycetia isolates were obtained and 53 were found to exhibit antimicrobial properties. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16 S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the isolates were predominantly from the genus Streptomyces . Among these, the strain Streptomyces sp. NP14 (ANP14ARS) demonstrated specific and significant antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacterial pathogens. The strain was further assayed against a panel of clinically important bacterial pathogens including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Its antimicrobial activity was confirmed using disc diffusion and membrane disruption assay, and its minimum inhibitory concentration was determined to be ≥ 3.12 ± 0.5 µg/ml against MRSA. Chemical analyses using FTIR and GC-MS identified key bioactive compounds, including Pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro-3-(2-methylpropyl)- and Phenol 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl), known for their antimicrobial properties. Toxicity studies against animal liver cell lines indicated that the ethyl acetate extract was non-toxic at concentrations below 125 µg/mL, compared to Vancomycin, which was found to be hepatotoxic at similar concentrations. These findings highlight the potential of ANP14ARS as a source of bioactive natural products that is specific towards priority pathogens such as MRSA.

India’s evolving digital health strategy leverages innovative technologies to enhance access to healthcare services. This paper explores the key components of India’s digital health transformation, including the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and India’s integration of biometric identification and digital infrastructure to improve healthcare delivery. The lessons learned from India’s large-scale implementation of digital health provide valuable insights for global health markets and digital transformations in healthcare systems.

In the present study, a design modification study for submerged entry nozzle (SEN) in funnel shape mold was conducted to enhance meniscus stability and fluid flow characteristics. State-of-the-art 1:1 scaled water model was used to study the effects of casting speed (3.5 to 6 m/min) and submergence depth (240–320 mm) on fluid flow behavior and slag entrainment for the two SEN designs. Extensive flow visualization experiments were performed using methylene blue dye. Meniscus velocity measurements using a vane anemometer sensor were performed. Plant trials in actual thin slab caster mold confirmed the laboratory findings. Increasing the casting speed from 3.5 to 6 m/min increased the maximum sub-meniscus velocity from 0.29 to 0.44 m/s. Dye injection confirmed that SEN 2 created the necessary double-roll fluid flow pattern with improved meniscus stability. Plate dipping tests at the plant also indicated that SEN 2 was a more suitable choice over SEN 1 in terms of meniscus turbulence.

Background Gut microbiota may be altered in patients with cirrhosis, and may further change after administration of lactulose. We studied the composition of gut microbiota in patients with cirrhosis and assessed the effect on it of lactulose administration. Methods Stool specimens were collected from 35 patients with cirrhosis (male 26; median [range] age: 42 [29–65] years) and 18 healthy controls (male 14; 44.5 [24–67] years); 21 patients provided another specimen after lactulose administration for 55 [42–77] days. For each, a DNA library of V3 region of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA was subjected to paired-end Illumina sequencing. Inter-specimen relationship was studied using principal co-ordinate analysis. Abundances of various bacterial taxa, and indices of alpha and beta diversity were compared, between patients and controls, and between specimens collected before and after lactulose. Results Gut microbiota from cirrhosis patients and controls showed differential clustering, and microbiota from patients with cirrhosis had less marked alpha diversity. Abundances of dominant phyla (Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria) were similar. However, patients with cirrhosis had lower abundances of five phyla, namely Tenericutes, Cyanobacteria, Spirochaetes, Elusimicrobia and Lentisphaerae, and differences in abundances of several families and genera than in controls. Lactulose administration did not lead to any change in alpha and beta diversities, species richness and abundances of various bacterial taxa in gut microbiota. Conclusions Gut microbiota in cirrhosis differ from healthy persons and do not change following lactulose administration. The latter suggests that the effect of lactulose on hepatic encephalopathy may not be related to alteration in gut microbiota.

This paper explores the relationship between the development of the internet and health care, highlighting their parallel growth and mutual influence. It delves into the transition from the early, static days of Web 1.0, akin to siloed physician expertise in health care, to the more interactive and patient-centric era of Web 2.0, which was accompanied by advancements in medical technologies and patient engagement. This paper then focuses on the emerging era of Web3—the decentralized web—which promises a transformative shift in health care, particularly in how patient data are managed, accessed, and used. This shift toward Web3 involves using blockchain technology for decentralized data storage to enhance patient data access, control, privacy, and value. This paper also examines current applications and pilot projects demonstrating Web3’s practical use in health care and discusses key questions and considerations for its successful implementation.

Pomegranate crops are prone to wilt complex disease, which is known to severely hamper the crop yield. There have been limited studies that have explored bacteria–plant–host associations in wilt complex disease affecting pomegranate crops. In the present study, wilt infected rhizosphere soil samples (ISI, ASI) in pomegranate were studied in comparison to a healthy control (HSC). The 16S metagenomics sequencing approach using the MinION platform was employed for screening of bacterial communities and predictive functional pathways. Altered physicochemical properties in the soil samples were recorded showing a comparatively acidic pH in the ISI (6.35) and ASI (6.63) soil samples to the HSC soil (7.66), along with higher electrical conductivity in the ISI (139.5 µS/cm), ASI soil (180 µS/cm), HSC soil sample (123.33 µS/cm). While concentration of micronutrients such as Cl and B were significantly higher in the ISI and ASI soil as compared to the HSC, Cu and Zn were significantly higher in the ASI soil. The effectiveness and accuracy of 16S metagenomics studies in identifying beneficial and pathogenic bacterial communities in multi-pathogen–host systems depend on the completeness and consistency of the available 16S rRNA sequence repositories. Enhancing these repositories could significantly improve the exploratory potential of such studies. Thus, multiple 16S rRNA data repositories (RDP, GTDB, EzBioCloud, SILVA, and GreenGenes) were benchmarked, and the findings indicated that SILVA yields the most reliable matches. Consequently, SILVA was chosen for further analysis at the species level. Relative abundance estimates of bacterial species showed variations of growth promoting bacteria, namely, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megatarium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas stutzeri and Micrococcus luteus . Functional profiling predictions employing PICRUSt2 revealed a number of enriched pathways such as transporter protein families involved in signalling and cellular processes, iron complex transport system substrate binding protein, peptidoglycan biosynthesis II (staphylococci) and TCA cycle VII (acetate-producers). In line with past reports, results suggest that an acidic pH along with the bioavailability of micronutrients such as Fe and Mn could be facilitating the prevalence and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum, a known causative pathogen, against the host and beneficial bacterial communities. This study identifies bacterial communities taking into account the physicochemical and other abiotic soil parameters in wilt-affected pomegranate crops. The insights obtained could be instrumental in developing effective management strategies to enhance crop yield and mitigate the impact of wilt complex disease on pomegranate crops.

Abstract Background While the frequency of islet antibody-negative (idiopathic) type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is reported to be increased in Indian children, its aetiology has not been studied. We investigated the role of monogenic diabetes in the causation of islet antibody-negative T1DM. Methods We conducted a multicenter, prospective, observational study of 169 Indian children (age 1-18 years) with recent-onset T1DM. All were tested for antibodies against GAD65, islet antigen-2, and zinc transporter 8 using validated ELISA. Thirty-four islet antibody-negative children underwent targeted next-generation sequencing for 31 genes implicated in monogenic diabetes using the Illumina platform. All mutations were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Results Thirty-five (21%) children were negative for all islet antibodies. Twelve patients (7% of entire cohort, 34% of patients with islet antibody-negative T1DM) were detected to have pathogenic or likely pathogenic genetic variants. The most frequently affected locus was WFS1, with 9 patients (5% of entire cohort, 26% of islet antibody-negative). These included 7 children with homozygous and 1 patient each with a compound heterozygous and heterozygous mutation. Children with Wolfram syndrome 1 (WS) presented with severe insulin-requiring diabetes (including 3 patients with ketoacidosis), but other syndromic manifestations were not detected. In 3 patients, heterozygous mutations in HNF4A, ABCC8, and PTF1A loci were detected. Conclusion Nearly one-quarter of Indian children with islet antibody-negative T1DM had recessive mutations in the WFS1 gene. These patients did not exhibit other features of WS at the time of diagnosis. Testing for monogenic diabetes, especially WS, should be considered in Indian children with antibody-negative T1DM.

With the rapid rise in Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, there is an increasing need for portable, wearable, and self-powered flexible sensing devices. In such scenarios, self-powered nanogenerators have emerged as promising energy harvesters capable of converting ambient mechanical stimuli into electrical energy, enabling the development of autonomous flexible sensors and sustainable systems. This review highlights recent advances in nanogenerator technologies—particularly those based on piezoelectric and triboelectric effects—with a focus on soft, flexible, and gel-based polymer materials. Key mechanisms of energy conversion are discussed alongside strategies to enhance performance through material innovation, structural design, and device integration. Special attention is given to the role of gel-type composites, which offer unique advantages such as mechanical tunability, self-healing ability, and biocompatibility, making them highly suitable for next-generation wearable, biomedical, and environmental sensing applications. We also explore the evolving landscape of energy applications, from microscale sensors to large-area systems, and identify critical challenges and opportunities for future research. By synthesizing progress across materials, mechanisms, and application domains, this review aims to guide the rational design of high-performance, sustainable nanogenerators for the next era of energy technologies.